Technical Field

The present invention relates to an absorbent article, in particular, an absorbent article having a detachable insert in the crotch.

Background Art

It is known that absorbent articles, in the forms of diapers, pant diapers, or incontinent protecting products, are usually used for the incontinent adults and babies for the absorption of bodily exudates, such as blood, urine, sweat and faeces. As an absorbent article, for example, a diaper is usually divided into a front portion, a rear portion and a crotch portion therebetween, In use, the diaper is placed between the legs of the wearer with the front portion abutting against the front of the body, the rear portion abutting against the back of the body and the crotch portion abutting against the crotch of the body. The diapers of this type may be belted diapers or non-belted diapers. The diapers are usually disposable and the whole diaper will be discarded after used.

However, in the case that there are insufficient bodily exudates, it is also necessary to replace the diaper for comfort account after a period of wearing, even the diaper does not achieve its maximum absorption capability. At this time, only the crotch portion is contaminated, while the front portion and the rear portion are still clean. Discarding the whole diaper will be a waste and will not be friendly to the environment.

In order to save the cost and be friendly to the environment, there is a need for an improved diaper, which has detachable crotch portion. When replacing the diaper having a small amount of absorption, the user only need to replace the diaper by detaching the contaminated crotch portion from the diaper main body without discarding the whole diaper. The diaper is easy to replace. Summary

Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide an absorbent article which can solve the above problems in the prior art, wherein only a part of the diaper need to be replaced. It is unnecessary to discard the whole diaper in order to save the cost and to be friendly to the environment.

The object is achieved by an absorbent article including: a main body configured to have a froot portion, a rear portion and a crotch portion therebetween along the longitudinal direction and to have a inner side and a outer side in the thickness direction, with a depression recessed from the inner side toward the outer side in the crotch portion; and a insert detachably attached to the crotch portion of the main body, wherein the insert is configured to have a friction element configured to interact with the depression for positioning the insert.

It is advantageous that the friction element is permanently fixed to the insert.

In particular, the depression is in the form of a groove extending in the longitudinal direction, to which the friction element of the insert is inserted.

It is advantageous that the groove corresponds to the friction element in dimension and shape.

In another aspect of the invention, the depression is in the form of a plurality of holes arranged regularly, the friction element of the insert has a plurality of protrusions to be inserted to the plurality of holes.

It is advantageous that the cross section of the holes and the protrusions has a square or circular shape.

In another aspect of the invention, the main body has a topsheet forming the body- facing side, a backsheet forming the outer side and an absorbent layer therebetween, the friction element being configured to contact with the topsheet of the main body.

Preferably, each of the topsheet of the main body and the friction element is made of a material with high frictional coefficient.

Preferably, the length of the groove is larger than the length of the friction element in the longitudinal direction with the difference therebetween of 2-20mm, more preferably 2- 10mm, and the width of the groove is larger than the width of the friction element with difference therebetween of 5-75mm, more preferably 5-50mm.

With the inventive diaper assembly, when replacing the diaper, the contaminated insert is detached from the diaper main body. A new insert with friction element may then be inserted into the groove of the diaper main body. It is unnecessary to replace the diaper main body, which saves cost and is more convenient. The insert can follow the crotch well when the wearer moves. In addition, one diaper main body may be used for different inserts with friction elements in different size, which enhances the flexibility of use of the diaper assembly.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a diaper assembly according to the first embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section view of the diaper assembly shown in Fig. 1 along the line A-A; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the diaper main body with the insert removed;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the insert used in the diaper assembly shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modification of the main body used in the diaper assembly according to the first embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a section view of a insert to be engaged with the main body shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a section view similar to Fig. 2, but show the diaper assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

The embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to better illustrate and explain the present invention.

The embodiments are described based on an exemplary diaper to illustrate the configuration of the absorbent article of the invention. However, such does not mean that the invention will be limited to the diaper. In contrary, the absorbent article may be in the form of pant diaper, absorbent pad or incontinent protecting products and the like.

Fig. 1 shows a diaper assembly according to the first embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 shows a section view of the diaper assembly shown in Fig. 1 along the line A-A. As shown in the figures, the diaper assembly comprises a diaper main body 1 having an inner side 14 and an outer side 15 along the thickness direction, and an insert 2 detachably attached to the body-facing side 14 of the diaper main body 1. In use, the inner side 14 forms the side facing towards the skin of the wearer, while the outer side 15 forms the side facing away from the wearer.

The diaper main body 1 includes, along the longitudinal direction, a front portion 11, a rear portion 12 and a crotch portion 13 therebetween. The insert 2 is attached in the region, of the crotch portion 13. The diaper main body 1 comprises a liquid- permeable topsheet forming the inner side 14, an absorbent layer absorbing the bodily exudates and a liquid-impermeable backsheet forming the outer side 15.

The topsheet of the diaper is the layer which lies in contact with the wearer's body when the diaper is in use. As such, it should be soft, non-irritating and comfortable against the skin, and bodily fluid should be able to pass through it without hindrance. The topsheet can consist of a nonwoven material, e.g. spunbond, meltblown, carded, hydroentangled, wetlaid etc. Suitable nonwoven materials can be composed of natural fibers, such as woodpulp or cotton fibres, manmade fibres, such as polyester ₅ polyethylene, polypropylene, viscose etc or from a mixture of natural and manmade fibres. Further examples of materials suitable for topsheets are porous foams, apertured plastic films etc.

The backsheet of the diaper is the layer which lies furthest from the wearer's body when the diaper is in use. In the case where garments are positioned outside the diaper, to protect the wearer's garments from soiling, it should be liquid-impermeable, but is desirably gas-permeable (i.e. breathable) to allow air and vapour to pass in and out of the diaper so that the warm, damp conditions which can arise in the diaper are reduced. Typically, the backsheet is of a liquid impervious material, such as a thin plastic film, e.g. a polyethylene or polypropylene film, a nonwoven material coated with a liquid impervious material, a hydrophobic nonwoven material which resists liquid penetration or a laminate comprising plastic films and nonwoven materials. Examples of breathable backsheet materials are porous polymeric films, nonwoven laminates from spunbond and meltblown layers, and laminates from porous polymeric films and nonwovens.

The absorbent layer of the diaper acts to receive and contain liquid and other bodily exudates. As such, it typically comprises absorbent material. Examples of commonly-occurring absorbent materials are cellulosic fluff pulp, tissue layers, highly- absorbent polymer materials (so called superabsorbents, SAP), absorbent foam materials, absorbent nonwoven materials or the like. It is common to combine cellulosic fiuff pulp with superabsorbents in the absorbent layer.

The absorbent layer may comprise one or more layers which are designed to improve the handling of bodily waste.

The topsheet and backsheet generally have a similar extent in the plane of the diaper, while the absorbent layer has an extent which is somewhat smaller. The topsheet and backsheet are joined to one another around the periphery of the absorbent layer, so that the absorbent layer is enclosed within the envelope formed by the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent layer is centrally located in the diaper. The topsheet and backsheet may be joined to one another by any means common in the art, e.g. ultrasonic welding, thermal welding or gluing.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the diaper main body with the insert removed. A depression in the form of a groove 3 is provided in the crotch portion 13 of the diaper main body 1. The groove 3 in this embodiment is in a rectangular shape which is elongate in the longitudinal direction of the diaper main body 1. The groove 3 has a length Y in the longitudinal direction and a width X. As shown in Fig, 2, the groove 3 is recessed from the topsheet toward the backsheet but at least does not extend through the backsheet in the thickness direction. In particular, a recess 31 is recessed from the side adjacent to the topsheet to the side adjacent to the backsheet in the absorbent layer of the main body 1, The recess 31 at least partly extends through the absorbent layer in the thickness direction. The recess 31 and the finished groove 3 of the main body 1 are consistent in the shape and size. The topsheet conformably extends along the side walls and the bottom wall of the recess 31 in order to form the finished groove 3 of the main body 1. If the recess 31 does not penetrate the absorbent layer, the bottom of the groove 3 is formed by topsheet, a part of the absorbent and the backsheet. When the recess 31 penetrates the absorbent layer, the bottom of the groove 3 is formed by the topsheet and the backsheet of the diaper main body 1. In each case, it is possible to prevent the bodily exudates leaking to the outside of the diaper.

The insert 2 comprises an insert body 21 and a friction element 22 on the side of the insert body 21 facing the diaper main body 1. The friction element 22 is fixed to the insert body 21 in a manner known in the prior art such as thermal welding, bonding and the like and positioned centrally in the insert body 21 , The surface of the friction element 22 facing away from the insert body 21 has a high frictional coefficient. The friction element 22 is made of, for example, a thermal meltable material.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the insert used in the diaper assembly shown in Fig. 1. The friction element 22 is shown in a rectangular shape which is elongate in the longitudinal direction of the diaper main body 1. The friction element 22 has a length Y' in the longitudinal direction of the diaper and a width X ⁵ . The rectangular friction element 22 and the rectangular groove 3 of the diaper main body 1 are matched in size and shape so that the friction element 2 is received in the groove 3 of the diaper main body 1 when the inset 2 is attached to the diaper main body 1.

In particular, the width X of the groove 3 of the diaper main body 1 preferably slightly larger than the width X ^* of the friction element 22 such that the difference therebetween is 5-75mm, more preferably is 5-50mm. The length Y of the groove 3 of the diaper main body 1 is preferably slightly larger than the length Y' of the friction element 22 such that the difference therebetween is 2 -20mm, more preferably is 2- 10mm.

The insert body 22 may comprise a single layer or a plurality of layers, depending on the various absorption requirements. In the case that the insert body comprises a plurality of layers, it may be configured to have a liquid-permeable topsheet and a liquid-permeable backsheet and an absorbent layer therebetween. The friction element 22 is fixedly attached to the liquid-permeable backsheet of the insert body 21. The liquid-permeable topsheet and the liquid-permeable backsheet of the insert body 21 may be made of the same or different materials and may be made from the material which is same as or different from the liquid-permeable topsheet of the diaper main body 1.

Although the shapes of the groove 3 and the friction element 22 are shown in the embodiment as rectangles, they may have any other shapes such as elongate ellipses and the like, depending on specific requirement, so long as there is no undesirable relative movement between the insert 2 and the diaper main body 1.

As to the shape of the insert body 21 of the insert 2, although it is shown in the embodiment as a trapezoid, it may be any other shape. The extension of the insert body 21 may be varied according to the specific application. The extension of the insert body 21 may be larger if high absorption capability is required. The extension of the insert body 21 may be smaller if low absorption capability is required. Accordingly, one type of diaper main body 1 may be used for different inserts 2 with different sizes, which extends the flexibility of the using of the diaper assembly.

The shape of the diaper main body 1 is not limited to the shape shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, i.e., they may have any other shapes, such as rectangles. The diaper main body 1 may be belted diapers or pant diapers and the like, so long as the groove 3 is provided in the crotch portion where maximum absorbent capability is required.

Although it is described above that the dimensions of the groove 3 of the diaper main body 1 are larger than those of the friction element 22, the groove 3 and the friction element 22 may have the same dimensions. In, this case, when the friction element 22 is inserted in the groove 3, it will contact the comer 4 of the groove 3, so that the friction element 4 will frictionally contact with a comer 4 as the insert 2 moving relative to the diaper main body 1 when the diaper assembly is in use. The friction force thus generated will prevent the insert 2 further moving relative to the diaper main body 1.

When using the diaper assembly, the insert 2 will be placed between the legs of the wearer. When the body of the user moves, the insert 2 can follow the crotch portion of the diaper main body 1 well, since the friction element 22 is inserted into the groove 3 or frictionally contact with the corner 4 of the groove 3. Thereby, the insert 2 can stably follow the movement of the diaper main body 1 without relative-movement occurring therebetween.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modification of the main body used in the diaper assembly according to the first embodiment of the invention. Fig. 6 is a section view of an insert to be engaged with the main body shown in Fig. 5.

In the main body 1 , the depression is in the form of a plurality of holes 3 ' arranged regularly, which is shown in this modification as holes with circular cross sections. The holes 3 ' recess from the topsheet toward the backsheet but at least do not penetrate the backsheet of the main body 1. Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 6, a plurality of protrusions 23 protrude from the surface of the friction element 22 of the insert 2 facing away from the insert body 21. The cross section of the protrusions 23 is circular. The diameter of the holes 3' is larger than or equal to the diameter of the protrusions 23 so that the insert may be attached to the main body 1 by inserting the protrusions 23 into the holes 3'.

The cross section of the holes 3 ' and protrusions 23 is not limited to a circular shape, but may be square or the like, so long as the holes 3' and the protrusions 23 correspond in shape and the holes 3 ' and the protrusions 23 are sized such that the protrusions 23 can be inserted into the holes 3 '.

The quantity and distribution of the holes 3 and protrusions 23 is not limited as shown in Fig. 5 and Fig, 6, but can be set depending on the application and the dimension of the diaper.

Fig. 7 shows a second embodiment of the diaper assembly according to the invention. The diaper assembly in the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment except the topsheet 5.

In the second embodiment, instead of conformably fitting on the side walls and the bottom wall of the recess 31 , the topsheet 5 runs across and above the recess 31 along the level of the inner side 14 of the main body 1. In this case,, the groove 3 may be deeper or shallower. That is to say, the depth H of the groove 3 may be from zero to the depth T of the absorbent layer, as shown in. Fig. 7. In use, the friction element 22 interacts with the topsheet 5. The topsheet 5 is made of liquid-permeable material having a high frictional coefficient, such as a nonwoven or the like. When the insert 2 moves relative to the diaper main body 1 during the use of the diaper assembly, a frictional force will, be generated between the friction element 22 and the topsheet 5. This frictional force will prevent the friction element 22, and thus the insert 2, further moving relative to the topsheet 5 and thus the diaper main body 1. In the application of diapers, the material of the topsheet 5 is generally flexible. Due to the depth of the groove 3, it is possible for the topsheet 5 to flex downward toward the inside of the groove 3 under the pressure of the friction element 22, as shown by the dotted line in Fig, 7, which increases the ability of the insert 2 to follow the main body 1.

With, the inventive configuration of the diaper assembly, even if the user moves his body, the frictional force between the insert 2 and the covering material 5 will prevent the relative-movement of the insert 2. Thereby, there is no undesired relative- movement between the insert 2 and the diaper main body 1, namely relative-movement of the insert 2 over the diaper main body 1 ,

The diaper assembly positioned between the legs of the wearer in use, with the insert located on the inner side of the diaper main body to protect the diaper main body. When replacing the diaper, the contaminated insert 2 is detached from the diaper main body 1. A new insert 2 with friction element 22 may then be inserted into the groove 3 of the diaper main body 1 or frictionally engaged on the topsheet 5. It is unnecessary to replace the diaper main body 1 , which saves cost and is more convenient.

In addition, one diaper main body may be used for different inserts with friction elements in different size, which enhances the flexibility of use of the diaper assembly.

Since the insert is positioned in the crotch portion of the diaper main body by inserting into or trictional contact with the groove of the diaper main body, when the user moves, the insert can follow the crotch well.

The invention has been described with reference to the embodied figures. However, the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments alone. Features from one or more of the above embodiments may be combined as required, and the ultimate scope of the invention should be understood as being defined in the appended claims.